Shit List: Top 10 Post-Punk Bands Of All-Time!

For anyone who has ever wondered who the ten best post-punk bands of all-time might be, we at The Shit are more than happy to deliver to your doorstep our thoughts on the subject, in no particular order of course!

The Stranglers For a band that began in '74 (pre-dating punk by a good year or two), their angular songs may have shared some sonic similarities to the punk bands of the day, but it was the punk community that shunned the band. Once post-punk came along, it was easier to accept the band's heavy use of psychedelic keyboards and their many lyrical absurdities. They remain one of the most underrated post-punk bands of all time and all but shunned by the US market,

Lords Of The New ChurchThe first alt-rock supergroup, if you will, the Lords of the New Church were headed by former Dead Boy Stiv Bator and ex-Damned guitarist Brian James. What may have looked good on paper was even better on tape, as the band's raw energy and ability to court controversy at every turn made them a post-punk favorite.

Public Image Ltd.Anyone who thought (or, for that matter, hoped) that Johnny Rotten would disappear after the crash & burn of the Sex Pistols was no doubt disappointed when Rotten returned with this groundbreaking musical troupe. They were even more disappointed to find Rotten capable of reaching new musical heights and continually breaking new musical ground.

Sisters Of MercyFrom the murky depths of Leeds, England's punk scene came Andrew Eldritch's dark & twisted "band", of which he and a drum machine named Doktor Avalanche remain the sole constant. Of course, for their first album, they had a great secret weapon in guitarist Wayne Hussey, who was fresh off a stint with Dead Or Alive. Most lump them in with the goth crowd, but, from a sonic standpoint, this band is 100% post-punk.

The ChameleonsMark Burgess' husky vocals crashed perfectly against the ethereal chorus-driven guitars of Reg Smithies and Davie Fielding to create a sound that is alternately introspective and arresting. After getting canned by CBS upon completion of their unreleased first album, the band quickly disowned their past, found their identity, and recorded the monumental "Script Of The Bridge" in 1983.

WireThe very essence of angular, dissonant art rock, Wire was the template upon which a thousand bands have been built. By employing an almost militant musical precision and obtuse lyrics that seemingly hint at vague social themes, the band created a sound that, up until that point, was uniquely their own. To this day, "Pink Flag" and "Chairs Missing" are considered essential post-punk foundation blocks.

Joy DivisionWe all know the story of how Ian Curtis' untimely suicde led to the eventual formation of New Order, but one can never understate how fully formed Joy Division were when they first appeared on the UK scene. Even to this day, their music is intensely original and direct.

Gang of FourSome may call them a "poor man's Wire", but that a poor man should be so lucky. What set Gang Of Four apart from the rest of the post-punk scene was their completely stripped-down approach, and dabbling in funk and dub. Their sound is intense and propulsive, but always seemed on the verge of flying apart at the seams.

Killing JokeVery few bands are able to harness the musical muscularity that Killing Joke unleashed on their stunnind debut album, much less maintain that same momentum over the course of thirty years. 2011 should see the release of a documentary on the band called "The Death & Resurrection Show".

Siouxsie & The BansheesFor a band that had once included Sid Vicious and Marco Pirroni (Adam & The Ants), by the time they had released "The Scream", singer Siouxsie Sioux had put together a quite capable band of accomplices with which to create songs that bristled with intrigue and imagery in a way no other band had done.